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Byzantine Art Project

Artworks from the great traditions of Byzantine and Eastern Christian iconography, each paired with a doctrinal reflection. The corpus surfaces GLM's confessional shape case by case as the iconography requires it — read what the picture argues.

348
ARTWORKS
10
COLLECTIONS
17
FLAGSHIPS
1,250+
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The Archangel Gabriel of the AnnunciationAngels

The Archangel Gabriel of the Annunciation

1191 (Late Komnenian fresco painting; iconographer's inscription dates the start of the program to April 25, 1191, during the reign of Isaac II Angelos; Constantinopolitan-trained master directing local Macedonian hands)· Saint George Church
Photograph by Efkoski Bobi (2009). Wikimedia Commons. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA 1.0/2.0/2.5/3.0/4.0) and GNU Free Documentation License 1.2+. The underlying 1191 fresco at Saint George Kurbinovo is in the public domain.
The White AngelAngels

The White Angel

c. 1230 (Mileševa Monastery, founded by King Stefan Vladislav of Serbia; fresco program by Greek-trained Serbian masters)· Mileševa Monastery
Photograph by Levan Ramishvili (2018). Wikimedia Commons. Public domain (faithful reproduction of a 13th-century fresco, which is itself in the public domain).
The Crucifixion (Studenica)Christological

The Crucifixion (Studenica)

The Raising of Lazarus (Pantanassa, Mistra)Christological

The Raising of Lazarus (Pantanassa, Mistra)

The Nativity (Cappadocia)Christological

The Nativity (Cappadocia)

Anastasis (Harrowing of Hades) Fresco, Chora ChurchChristological

Anastasis (Harrowing of Hades) Fresco, Chora Church

Theodore the Studite and Stephen the YoungerIconoclasm Debate

Theodore the Studite and Stephen the Younger

c. 1321 (Gračanica fresco program; commissioned by Serbian King Stefan Milutin)· Gračanica Monastery
Photograph by BLAGO Fund, Inc. (2021). Wikimedia Commons. Released under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). The underlying c. 1321 fresco at Gračanica Monastery is in the public domain.
Tsar Constantine Tikh Asen (Boyana)Imperial

Tsar Constantine Tikh Asen (Boyana)

The Adoration of the MagiLife of Christ

The Adoration of the Magi

11th century (Çarıklı Kilise narrative cycle, Göreme)· Çarıklı Kilise (Sandals Church)
Photograph by Wolfgang Sauber (2010). Wikimedia Commons. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0). The underlying 11th-century fresco is in the public domain.
The Kiss of JudasLife of Christ

The Kiss of Judas

11th century (Karanlık Kilise narrative cycle, Göreme open-air monastery)· Karanlık Kilise (Dark Church)
Photograph by Wolfgang Sauber (2010). Wikimedia Commons. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0). The underlying 11th-century fresco is in the public domain.
The LamentationLife of Christ

The Lamentation

1164· Saint Panteleimon Church
Photo by zavar_vera (2017). Wikimedia Commons. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0). The underlying 12th-century fresco is in the public domain.
Christ among the Doctors (Young Jesus in the Temple)Life of Christ

Christ among the Doctors (Young Jesus in the Temple)

1259 (Boyana Church second-layer fresco program; the Boyana Master, Tarnovo school)· Boyana Church (UNESCO World Heritage)
Photographic reproduction in the public domain (Wikimedia Commons; faithful reproduction of a 1259 fresco). The underlying Boyana Church fresco is in the public domain.
The Cleansing of the TempleLife of Christ

The Cleansing of the Temple

14th century (Visoki Dečani fresco program, c. 1335–1350; Serbian medieval)· Visoki Dečani Monastery
Photographic reproduction in the public domain (Wikimedia Commons; Creative Commons CC0 1.0). The underlying 14th-century fresco at Visoki Dečani is in the public domain.
The NativityLife of Christ

The Nativity

c. 1340s–1370s (Mistra Peribleptos fresco program; mid- to late-Palaiologan period under the Despotate of the Morea)· Peribleptos Monastery
Photograph by Wooofer (2018). Wikimedia Commons. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0). The underlying 14th-century fresco at Peribleptos Mistra is in the public domain.
The Incredulity of ThomasLife of Christ

The Incredulity of Thomas

c. 1350 (14th century; Tsalenjikha Cathedral, western Georgia, late-medieval Georgian-Byzantine tradition)· Church of the Holy Savior
Photograph from Réunion des Musées Nationaux (RMN). Wikimedia Commons. Public domain (the underlying 14th-century fresco is in the public domain).
The CrucifixionLife of Christ

The Crucifixion

1494 (program completion; painter Philippos Goul, a Syrian Orthodox master also documented at Agios Mamas, Louvaras)· Church of Timios Stavros tou Agiasmati
Photograph by Croquemort Nestor (2025). Wikimedia Commons. Released under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The underlying 1494 fresco is in the public domain.
Christ before PilateLife of Christ

Christ before Pilate

1546 (Theophanes of Crete, 1490–1559; part of the unified katholikon decoration cycle that also includes the foot-washing at corpus #76)· Stavronikita Monastery
Photographic reproduction in the public domain (Wikimedia Commons; faithful reproduction of a two-dimensional public domain work). The underlying 1546 fresco by Theophanes the Cretan at Stavronikita Monastery, Mount Athos, is in the public domain.
The Wedding at CanaLiturgical

The Wedding at Cana

c. 950–1000 (the New Tokalı / New Church frescoes; Macedonian Renaissance period)· Tokalı Kilise
Photograph by Dosseman (Dick Osseman). Wikimedia Commons. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0). The underlying late-10th-century fresco is in the public domain.
The Communion of the ApostlesLiturgical

The Communion of the Apostles

1106 (consecration year of the church; named donor inscription dates the foundational fresco program)· Panagia tis Asinou (Panagia Phorbiotissa)
Photographic reproduction in the public domain (Wikimedia Commons; faithful reproduction of a two-dimensional public domain work). The underlying 1106 fresco at Panagia tis Asinou is in the public domain.
The Heavenly LiturgyLiturgical

The Heavenly Liturgy

c. 1320 (King Stefan Milutin's foundation; Palaiologan Renaissance fresco program)· Gračanica Monastery
Photograph by BLAGO Fund, Inc. (2021). Wikimedia Commons. Released under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). The underlying c. 1320 fresco at Gračanica Monastery is in the public domain.
The Cozia Monastery Mural ProgramLiturgical

The Cozia Monastery Mural Program

c. 1390s (founding fresco program by Mircea I the Elder, Voivode of Wallachia 1386–1418); subsequent layers in the 16th–18th centuries· Cozia Monastery
Wikimedia Commons. Public domain (faithful reproduction of late-14th to 16th-century frescoes). The underlying frescoes at Cozia Monastery are in the public domain.
Christ Washes the Disciples' FeetLiturgical

Christ Washes the Disciples' Feet

1546 (Theophanes of Crete, 1490–1559; Cretan-school continuation of Byzantine iconographic tradition)· Stavronikita Monastery
Photographic reproduction in the public domain (Wikimedia Commons; faithful reproduction of a two-dimensional public domain work). The underlying 1546 fresco by Theophanes the Cretan at Stavronikita Monastery, Mount Athos, is in the public domain.
The Mystic Supper (Last Supper)Liturgical

The Mystic Supper (Last Supper)

1546 (Stavronikita Cretan-school program by Theophanes the Cretan; the same unified katholikon decoration as `foot-washing-stavronikita` and `christ-before-pilate-stavronikita`)· Stavronikita Monastery
Wikimedia Commons. Faithful photographic reproduction of a 1546 fresco by Theophanes the Cretan. The underlying work is in the public domain.
The Dormition of the Theotokos (Sopoćani)Marian

The Dormition of the Theotokos (Sopoćani)

The Good ShepherdPantocrator

The Good Shepherd

c. 225 AD (mid-3rd century; pre-Constantinian early Christian funerary fresco; one of the earliest surviving Christian iconographic representations of Christ)· Catacomb of Priscilla
Photographic reproduction in the public domain (Joseph Wilpert documentation, 1903; faithful reproduction of a c. 225 AD fresco). The underlying catacomb fresco is in the public domain.
Christ as Orpheus (Christ-Orpheus Arcosolium)Pantocrator

Christ as Orpheus (Christ-Orpheus Arcosolium)

c. 300–350 (early-4th century, pre- or early-Constantinian; pagan-Roman pastoral iconographic vocabulary reframed as Christ-image)· Catacomb of Saints Marcellinus and Peter
Photographic reproduction in the public domain (Wikimedia Commons). The underlying c. 4th-century catacomb fresco is in the public domain.
Christ PantocratorPantocrator

Christ Pantocrator

December 1192· Church of Panagia tou Arakos (Panagia Arakiotissa)
Photo by David Winfield (1968–1973), MSBZ004_BF_S_1979_1913D, Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives, Dumbarton Oaks, Trustees for Harvard University, Washington DC. Released under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The underlying 12th-century fresco is in the public domain.
Christ PantocratorPantocrator

Christ Pantocrator

c. 1430· Pantanassa Monastery
Photo by Sailko (2008). Wikimedia Commons. Released under multiple licenses (GFDL 1.2+ / CC BY-SA 3.0 / CC BY 2.5); attributed here under CC BY-SA 3.0. The underlying 15th-century fresco is in the public domain.
The Saint Sophia Ohrid Fresco ProgramSaints

The Saint Sophia Ohrid Fresco Program

c. 1037–1056 (the cathedral's foundation period under Archbishop Leo of Ohrid; one of the largest 11th-century fresco ensembles in Eastern Europe; the corpus's 153rd-tagged / 150th actual entry — milestone closure)· Saint Sophia Cathedral
Photograph by Raso mk (2004). Wikimedia Commons. Public domain in North Macedonia and the United States. The underlying 11th-century frescoes are in the public domain.
Saint NicholasSaints

Saint Nicholas

11th-century underlayer, overpainted 1259 (both layers visible in the surviving palimpsest)· Boyana Church (Sofia
Photograph by Ann Wuyts. Wikimedia Commons. Released under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0). The underlying frescoes (11th c. and 1259) are in the public domain.
The Patriarch Enoch (Theophanes the Greek, Novgorod)Saints

The Patriarch Enoch (Theophanes the Greek, Novgorod)

The AnastasisSecond Coming

The Anastasis

c. 1315–1321· Chora Church (Kariye Camii)
Photo by Joseph Kranak (2009). Wikimedia Commons. Released under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0). The underlying 14th-century fresco is in the public domain.
The Anastasis (Resurrection)Second Coming

The Anastasis (Resurrection)

1494 (program completion; painter Philippos Goul)· Church of Timios Stavros tou Agiasmati
Photograph by Croquemort Nestor (2025). Wikimedia Commons. Released under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The underlying 1494 fresco is in the public domain.
The Lion and the DragonSecond Coming

The Lion and the Dragon

c. 1547 (Voroneț exterior fresco program; commissioned under Metropolitan Grigore Roșca during the reign of Petru Rareș)· Voroneț Monastery
Photograph by Gary Todd (2016). Wikimedia Commons. Released under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The underlying c. 1547 fresco at Voroneț Monastery is in the public domain.
The Last JudgmentSecond Coming

The Last Judgment

1547· Voroneț Monastery (Church of Saint George)
Photo by Alessio Damato (2006). Wikimedia Commons. Multi-licensed (GFDL 1.2+ / CC BY-SA 3.0). Cited under CC BY-SA 3.0. The underlying 16th-century fresco is in the public domain.
The Sucevița Fresco Program (Interior Wall View)Second Coming

The Sucevița Fresco Program (Interior Wall View)

c. 1602–1604 (interior and exterior fresco program; the last great Moldavian painted-monastery program; commissioned under Metropolitan Gheorghe Movilă)· Sucevița Monastery
Photograph by Josep Renalias (2021). Wikimedia Commons. Released under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). The underlying c. 1602–1604 frescoes at Sucevița Monastery are in the public domain.
The Last JudgmentSecond Coming

The Last Judgment

Early 18th century· Vatopedi Monastery (Katholikon
Photo by Aroche (2011). Wikimedia Commons. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0). The underlying 18th-century fresco is in the public domain.
The VisitationTheotokos

The Visitation

1751 (post-Byzantine continuation; Panagia Monastery, Delphi; donor Ioannis Ntasios from Ioannina)· Byzantine and Christian Museum
Photograph by George E. Koronaios (2023). Wikimedia Commons. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0). The underlying 1751 fresco is in the public domain.

Photographs sourced primarily from Wikimedia Commons and museum open-access programs (Met CC0, Walters PD/CC BY-SA, British Museum CC BY 2.5, Cleveland Museum of Art CC0, Smithsonian Open Access, Dumbarton Oaks CC0). Originals are public domain by age; photographs carry the licenses noted on each artwork. Click any card for full credit, license, and a link back to the source.

THE SCRIPTORIUM — BE OBEDIENT & BE BOLD